Fishers Arts Council (FAC) is preparing to host two highly anticipated juried events this September, promising a celebration of art and community engagement. The fourth annual Harvest Fest, a nonprofit fundraiser and community art fair, will take place on Sunday, September 10, at Fishers Heritage Park at White River. Simultaneously, the fourth annual Juried Exhibit of Hamilton County Artists, will be on display at the FAC Hub Gallery from September 5 to 29.

Harvest Fest aims to raise awareness and funds for Fishers-serving nonprofits while showcasing the talents of artists and artisans from Hamilton County and the surrounding areas. The event, which is free to attend, will feature live music, local beer and wine, art activities for families, unique artistic creations, Indiana authors, and various nonprofits seeking support. Nonprofits, authors, and juried artists can still apply for participation in the event until the July 10 deadline. Interested parties can find application details on the Fishers Arts Council website at fishersartscouncil.org/blog.

The Juried Exhibit of Hamilton County Artists invites current and former painters from Hamilton County, working in any medium, to showcase their work at the FAC Hub Gallery. The exhibit will run from September 5 to 29, with a reception and awards ceremony scheduled for Friday, September 8. Artists must submit their entries by August 7, adhering to the requirements outlined on the Fishers Arts Council website.

The annual Juried Exhibit has become a prestigious platform for Hamilton County artists, offering recognition and prize money for outstanding works. Previous “Best in Show” winners include Stephanie Spay of Noblesville in 2020, Margot Bogue of Fishers in 2021, and Jerry Mannell of Carmel in 2022. Jerry, this year’s winner, will have a solo exhibit in August at the FAC Hub Gallery as part of his 2022 award. The 2023 Juried Show will be judged by Rena Brouwer, a renowned Indiana and national artist with international acclaim. Rena’s work, known for its contemporary style and emphasis on nature, has been exhibited worldwide. Her selection as the judge adds a distinguished touch to the event.

Fishers Arts Council is excited to showcase the exceptional talent of artists and artisans from Hamilton County and beyond. For inquiries and further information, interested individuals can reach out to FAC via email at info@FisherArtsCouncil.org or by calling 317-537-1670.

Fishers Arts Council, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts organization, is dedicated to supporting and advocating for the arts in the community.

Court documents released Wednesday provide disturbing details about the shooting death of Kaylah Ann Farmer.  Her ex-husband, Joshua Farmer, 32, from Noblesville, is charged in her shooting death in Fishers.

For more details, read the WTHR story at this link.

The celebration of July 4th each year in America is a commemoration of the Declaration of Independence.  Our second president, John Adams, always maintained that the Declaration was actually completed on July 2nd, but its first publication was July 4th, 1776.  So, our holiday has been and remains on July 4th.

Many reflect on this holiday and point out the contradictions in the language the Declaration.  For example – “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Many remind us that slaveholders signed onto this Declaration and that is an important point to make.  But we also should take this document into its historical context as well.

Most nations in the world at that time were ruled by royal families.  The idea that a nation could function as a republic without royalty on top was a big break from the norm.  It is for this reason that our Declaration of Independence, with its issues and occasional contradictions, was an important document in world history at that time.

The nonprofit news organization headquartered at the Statehouse, Indiana Capitol Chronicle, has reposted the text of the Declaration as their way of celebrating July 4th this year.  I think that is a great idea.  You can read that Capitol Chronicle posting of the Declaration at this link.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Hamilton County has announced a planned one-day lane restriction along 146th Street.  The County says this will happen “on or after” July 7, allowing for weather issues or other delays.

Here is the announcement issued Monday afternoon:

Please be advised, beginning on or after Friday, July 7 between the hours of 9am and 3pm, 146^th Street between the White River and River Road within the existing construction limits, will be under lane restrictions for the paving of a 90’ stretch of median. This is a one-day restriction. Only the left-hand lane for westbound traffic will be restricted.

Please use extreme caution while driving through this construction zone.

Fishers Police made an arrest connected to a fatal crash early Saturday morning, near the intersection of 126th Street and Winding Creek Lane, between Allisonville Road and Lantern Road.

Hunter Monts, 24, from Fishers, faces charges of Operating While Intoxicated Causing Death and Operating While Intoxicated Causing Catastrophic Injury, both felonies.

Richard Wentzel, 66, from Fishers, died in the accident.

Here is how Fishers Police describe what happened.

“At approximately 4:30am, Fishers police officers responded to a motor vehicle crash near the intersection of 126^th Street and Winding Creek Lane. Upon arrival, officers observed a red 2010 Ford F150 truck and a red 2013 Chevrolet Malibu passenger car in the roadway. Both drivers and a passenger in the Malibu were transported to the hospital. The driver of the Malibu did not survive his injuries and was declared deceased at the hospital.”

Investigators say both vehicles were traveling eastbound on 126th Street when the Ford struck the Chevrolet.

The Indianapolis Star reported Monday morning that Hamilton County Prosecutor Greg Garrison suffered a heart attack last week and is currently hospitalized at Community Hospital North.  Use this link to read the Star story

As most people in Fishers know by now, there was a fatal shooting in the parking lot of the Speedway gas station on 116th Street, just east of Allisonville Road, Wednesday afternoon.  Kaylah Farmer, who died in the shooting, left behind three children.

A Go Fund Me page has been established allowing people to contribute for the benefit of the children.  You can access the Go Fund Me page at this link.

Beginning my career in radio broadcasting, I remember the general manager of the FM station where I worked complaining in 1970 about a piece of legislation that had just passed Congress and became law.  The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) had lobbied to require carmakers to install FM radios in their vehicles, but that provision was stripped from the final version of the measure.

He complained that the stripping away of that law provision would stunt the growth of all FM stations for many years.  There was some truth in that.

I thought about those comment in 1970 while watching the current kerfuffle over announcements by some car manufacturers of plans to eliminate AM radios in new cars.

Tesla says the static created by their engines is too much.  BMW, Mazda and Volkswagen announced they will eliminate AM radios in their new electric vehicles.  Ford had announced it would remove AM radios from all new vehicles, then reversed that decision.

Why are so many people worked up about AM radio?  In recent years, AM radio has mostly been home to political talk radio, news, sports, foreign language and religious programming.

What are the major differences between AM & FM radio?

First, Amplitude Modulation (AM) radio was the first form of broadcasting in the United States.  It has the capability of beaming a signal a long way,  That’s why clear channel stations in places like Chicago, Cincinnati and even New Orleans can often be heard at night in central Indiana.

AM radio is important for emergency messages, particularly in rural areas not served by FM stations and with little or no access to the Internet.

But AM radio has some major drawbacks,  First, the quality of the sound cannot come close to matching FM.  Also, if there is a thunderstorm in your area, there is a lot of static on your AM radio, often making it difficult or impossible to listen.

Then there is Frequency Modulation (FM) radio, where the signal does not reach nearly as far as AM, but the sound quality is much better.  It is best suited to broadcast almost any kind of music.  FM radio exploded in popularity in the 1970s.

When carmakers started the discussion of ditching AM radios in new cars, particularly electric ones for technical interference reasons, it started a new conversation about the future of AM radio.

Many politicians on the left and right of the political spectrum are saying AM radio must be saved.  I am not so sure that is a good idea.

The argument that hard-to-reach rural areas without FM radio or much access to the Internet do need access to emergency messages is valid today.  However, recently enacted legislation will begin to fund programs providing Internet access to remote rural areas.  That argument will only last a few years.

I had broadcast engineers tell me in the early 1970s that AM radio would, at some point in the future, be abolished in favor of FM.  That trend has continued, with most of the radio audience on FM, based on all the data I have seen.

The only 50,000 watt AM station in Indianapolis, WIBC (Later WFAN after switching to a sports format) had an offer for their transmitter site that was so good the owners had no choice but take it.  Without a suitable and affordable alternative to place the towers and transmitter, 1070 AM is still off the air.

The impact of the Internet and cell phones cannot be ignored.  Music, news, sports and the latest iteration of podcasts are all available through your cell phone and Blue Tooth in your car.   Fewer people are listening to radio overall these days.

AM radio will be around a few more years, but once Internet is more universally available, the emergency message argument will no longer be valid.  Also, carmakers will eventually take them out of newly manufactured vehicles.

That part of the radio spectrum could be used for other purposes. Just look at how much money the federal government has reeled-in during recent radio spectrum auctions.  The cell phone firms and other communications companies would bid for that spectrum once AM radio is gone.

So, with technology moving on, I see a bleak future for AM radio.  The broadcast engineers that prophesied the end of AM radio may have been a little premature, but in the long-run, I believe they will be proven correct.

My General Manager boss in 1970 was livid that FM radio would not be in new cars.  Interesting that more than 50 years later, the shoe is on the other foot.